The Year in Bro 2012

Bipartisan Bromance: Chris Christie and Barack Obama

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the governor of New Jersey and the POTUS engaged in some across-the-aisle crisis management and mutual praise, exacerbating what many Republicans saw as a God-sent wrench in Mitt Romney's campaign machine. That's bros for you: Uniting the nation, one joint disaster-zone survey at a time.

Photo: Getty Images

Bro-lympian: Ryan Lochte

The 2012 US Olympic team was full of bros—shocking, for a bunch of handsome high school athletes—but while all bros are created equal, some are more equal than others, as Ryan Lochte bro-ed out with the Sitch, wore whatever this is, and high-fived his own cardboard cutout. Jeah jeah jeah.

Bro Word: #YOLO

Drake may want copyrights on it, but bros all over have already taken it as the Motto for their way of life—what's "carpe diem"?—because it's the perfect preface for: drunk texting your slampiece, hitting any and all bongs, mackin' on some brunch at dinnertime, etc.

Bro Movie: TED

For starters, it's a Seth MacFarlane movie, which means legions of Family Guy-loving bros in the audience. Throw in Mark Wahlberg's bromance with a talking Teddy bear, raging party scenes, and an extended joke about white-trashy girls' names, and you've got the bro flick of the year.

Brah-litician: Paul Ryan

The Romney campaign hit up Ryan to add some energy and Young Republican cred to mecha-Mitt's robotic charm offensive, to totes lukewarm effect: After refusing to show his P90X-pack, lying about his marathon time, and pretending to wash pots, Ryan not only didn't win his home state, he lost his home county. Shoulda lifted more, man.

When your family is given tens of millions of pounds each year by the British people for performing "ceremonial duties," getting photographed playing strip billiards (a few years after showing up as a Nazi to a costume party) and causing all the old chaps' monocles to fall into their champagne is pretty much the one thing you can't do. Bro is incorrigible, I say.

Photo: TMZ.com

Bro-hemian Style: Mewelry

First, the street-style crowd got wise to them. Then, everyone from us to Kanye gave the seal of approval. But now, every graying dad at your local beach barbecue is rocking a leather bracelet, and guys in light beer commercials are sporting stacks on stacks. This ain't just for metros at the annual GQ queerboy convention no more, bros.

Bro Book: A Song of Fire and Ice (on audiobook)

Bro 1: "Bro, so I got the Game of Thrones book."

Bro 2: "Noice, it dope?"

Bro 1: "Yeah, totes dope. Less titties, tho."

Bro 2: "Twisted. So you reading, or somethin'?"

Bro 1: "Nah bro, I got it on my iTunes. Listen while you lift, nahmean?"

Does the Gronk even lift? That's a clown question, bro, see left. And not to be outshown by Lochte, he also did this in London, and heshowed up to the ESPYs with his entourage—just like Vinny Chase and co.! I know it's early, but the Gronk is a lock for the Bro Hall of Fame. With some guys you just know, like Lombardi or some dude used to say.

Photo: Rob Gronkowski

The Bro-iest Anything of the Year: These Lakers Bros

The '20s had Gatsby. The '60s had Dylan. We have this. These are two dudes chilling at a Lakers game, broadcast on national TV and ripped to YouTube and viralized in an animated GIF. This is the way we bro now.

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the governor of New Jersey and the POTUS engaged in some across-the-aisle crisis management and mutual praise, exacerbating what many Republicans saw as a God-sent wrench in Mitt Romney's campaign machine. That's bros for you: Uniting the nation, one joint disaster-zone survey at a time.